AI is entering daily work, but people have different assumptions about what it is allowed to do.
What's actually happening
Access, capability and permission are being treated as the same thing. Broad intentions leave uncertainty about actions, decision rights and responsibility when something goes wrong.
The promise
Translate one AI workflow into explicit authority, boundaries and human ownership.
How the tool works
Scope the workflow
Name the purpose, systems and accountable human.
Set authority and permission
Choose an authority ceiling and Green, Yellow or Red operating condition.
Write the controls
Define actions, access, decisions, visibility and stop or escalation rules.
Tangible output
A workflow permission map, reference guide and approval decision for human review.
Use it in 10 minutes
Choose one AI workflow. Write what it may do, what it must never do and which action requires human approval.
Use it with your team
Have the workflow owner and system administrator compare the written map with the permissions and controls actually configured.
Common misuse
Mapping an entire platform as one workflow, assuming a worksheet grants access or letting an approval exceed the authority ceiling.
The worksheet is a one-page fillable PDF: click a shaded field to type, use Tab to move between fields, and save your own copy. If your browser preview won’t accept typing, download it and open it in a PDF app.
Why it matters
- Makes decision rights clear before automation expands.
- Connects business ownership with system controls.
- Creates a basis for a bounded pilot and review.
At a glance
Type: Authority and workflow design map
Family: AI-Enabled Work & Organizational Capability
Status: Free now
Time: 20 to 30 minutes for a first workflow map
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